Ariane 5 launcherThe European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully launched two telecommunications satellites into orbit, aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Kourou space centre in French Guiana.

Marking the Ariane 5 rocket’s 48th launch, the craft has put into orbit Lockheed Martin’s 100th and 101st geostationary satellites: the JCSat-13, owned by Japan’s SkyPerfect JSat, and the VINASAT-2 of the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT).

Following the launch, the two satellites will undergo in-orbit testing over the next few months, after then the VINASAT-2 will be handed over to VNPT in late June; JCSAT-13 will begin its operations for SKY Perfect JSAT in mid-July.

Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems president Joseph Rickers said: "Our team is now focused on executing our integrated orbit-raising plan and we look forward to hand-over, when these two satellites can begin their many years of service for our customers."

The 4.5t Japanese satellite is required to meet a 15-year design life and equipped with Ku-band payload comprising 44 high-power communication channels; it will operate from 124 degrees east longitude.

"Our team is now focused on executing our integrated orbit-raising plan and we look forward to hand-over, when these two satellites can begin their many years of service for our customers."

The Ku-band payload will assist the satellite in offering uplink and downlink coverage over Japan, Indonesia, the Middle East, South-west Asia and Oceania.

The two steerable antennas will enable fast coverage for new and emerging markets, across the Earth from the orbital slot and the multiple transponders in each steerable beam will assist in offering coverage through a wide geographic area.

JCSat-13’s on-board switching will facilitate in-orbit payload reconfiguration, further expected to allow optimisation of the frequency plan.

VINASAT-2, Lockheed Martin’s second satellite for VNPT, weighing about 2.9t at launch, will be placed at 131.8 degrees east, next to the earlier launched Vinasat-1, and will be handed over to VNPT in late June following the completion of in-orbit testing.
The 15-year design life satellite, featuring 24 Ku-band channels, with uplink and downlink coverage, will offer fixed satellite services to Vietnam and neighbouring countries and is also equipped with additional fuel reserves to increase its manoeuvre life.

Image: Ariane 5 launch vehicle, carrying two geostationary satellites, being launched from Kourou space centre in French Guiana. Photo: courtesy of Arianespace.